Morgiana McDevitt Named LI Scholar-Artist

High school senior Morgiana McDevitt has been selected as a Long Island Scholar-Artist for the 2017-2018 school year. McDevitt was selected for her outstanding academic and theatrical achievements.

The Scholar-Artist program, now in its 10th year, is a collaboration of the Long Island Arts Alliance, “Newsday” and the New York Community Bank Foundation, designed to recognize students judged to be “the best of the best” on Long Island in the disciplines of music, visual arts, media arts, theater and dance. High school seniors who demonstrate outstanding artistic and academic achievement – including an unweighted grade point average of 90 or above – are nominated by their school districts, and 10 students each from Nassau and Suffolk receive the program’s highest honor. LIAA Scholar-Artists receive a scholarship check for $250 and a framed copy of their “Newsday” profile, presented at LIAA’s annual gala at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts.

McDevitt has already had a remarkable arts career. She appeared in the 2015 ABC feature film “Fan Girl” with Kiernan Shipka and Meg Ryan; performed as the lead in Islip High School’s production of “Pippin” as well as roles “The Wiz,” “Into the Woods,” “Cinderella,” “The Sound of Music,” “Big Fish” and “Mary Poppins”; performed at the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale in productions of “Bring It on Bridget” and “The Spelling Bee”; and performed at the BroadHollow Theatre Company’s Bayway Arts Center in East Islip. In July 2017, she was a soloist for the Islip Arts Council’s concert at Heckscher State Park, performing the national anthem with the Long Island Philharmonic. As an active member of Islip’s school community, she has served as junior class vice president, Science Olympiad vice president, and president of the Theatre Arts Club and swing jazz ensemble.